Across the Universes
by MercuryShining
Summary: "Am I dead, dreaming, or delusional?" She woke up with a splitting headache and panoramic view of space, and the realization that she was in a fictional universe did nothing to ease the sense of panic slowly tying a knot in her gut. - OFCs, rating may change


She didn't want to open her eyes. Though her head was pounding and she couldn't remember just why, she was fairly certain she didn't want to see what she would if she were to open her eyes.

Unfortunately, we don't always get what we want.

"Lady Agave, I'm afraid you have no alternative; you must open your eyes," said a sedate, rumbling voice, a voice she found troublingly familiar yet beyond her current capacity to place. Disconcerted, she felt compelled to obey the power audible in that voice. Slowly, Agave did so and warily opened her eyes.

As her eyes focused, a gasp passed her lips. She found herself strewn across some sort of suspension bridge whose colors seemed to change from moment to moment. She hardly marked this fact, however, as her vision was immediately consumed with observing the skies. And what skies they were! Almost as if the atmosphere had disappeared, a sky full of stars was dazzlingly clear. Indeed, not only stars by nebulae and even galaxies were plainly visible. Utterly awestruck, she moved a hand to her face as she began to cry softly.

A few moments passed in this attitude before that distressingly familiar voice spoke again from behind her saying, "Lady Agave, why do you weep?"

She answered dreamily, "Because I've never seen anything so beautiful. Is it…is it real?"

"Yes," came the voice. "Have you no stars where you come from?"

"Oh, yes," she said, "but not like this."

The sudden realization that she was engaged in a conversation forced her from her stunned reverie. Her gaze slid from the glorious vistas that had completely absorbed her attentions to the magnificence of the alien city that rode beneath them. She paused to view it only a moment before continuing to seek the source of that voice.

Still laid across the bridge, she climbed to her feet as she turned to view her mysterious companion. What she saw took her to back to the ground. A man in gleaming golden armor, tall and elegant, tawny-eyed and ebon-skinned, stood in front of a peculiar spherical building that appeared to be settled at the edge of the world. He rested his hands gracefully upon the pommel of an enormous longsword.

It was not his beauty that returned her to her knees, however. It was a terrible realization of that sense of familiarity she'd experienced upon hearing his voice. She'd recognized it because it belonged to the actor Idris Elba as the character Heimdall in the recent Thor film.

When she'd pondered such an encounter with a fictional character, she'd always imagined it being a delightful and happy experience. She felt no such emotions in this moment, however. She was instead overwhelmed by a cold fear that churned her stomach.

"You! But you're not real!" she managed to exclaim through the twisting in her gut.

"My lady, I am Heimdall, Gatekeeper and Guardian of Asgard, and I assure you that I am real."

"Am I dreaming?"

"No."

"Dead, then."

"No, my lady, although I am uncertain where you came from or how you got here."

Agave sank even closer to the ground as she fought a wave of nausea. "I must have gone crazy. I guess I'm sitting in a padded cell right now." After taking a few moments to calm herself, she forced herself to her feet. "I guess it doesn't really matter. Whether this is actually real or not, and I do reserve judgment on that, I have no choice but to act as though it is."

"Indeed. While you attempt to gauge your sanity, I think you will find yourselves welcome guests in this city. You should know, your sister is here as well, waiting at the end of the bridge. You will have to present yourselves to the king."

"Odin," she said quietly, looking once more dazed. _How am I supposed to face a king?_

"Go, with my blessing. Find your sister. You'll end up where you need to be," he instructed her cryptically.

Agave nodded, gave her thanks, and began walking toward the mysterious city.

* * *

Her trek to the other end of the bridge took much longer than she'd expected. She supposed it had to do with perspective; laid in a straight line, it was difficult to judge the length of the bridge accurately from its surface. Such rambling of thought, while superfluous, was a welcome change from the constant dread she'd felt contemplating her imminent royal meeting.

As Agave approached the enormous golden gates at the end of the bridge, she noticed a figure slumped against them at one side.

"Colleen?" she asked quietly yet hopefully. "Colleen?" she repeated, more loudly, after several moments of no reply. The figure remained motionless aside from a slight shuddering that seemed to indicate breathing.

She continued to approach, moving to within a few feet. "Colleen?" she said once more, rather boldly now.

The figure suddenly jerked, then slowly lifted its head. "Wha-?" Colleen said sleepily. Her eyes suddenly shot open wide as she took in her surroundings. "What the hell? Where are we?" she asked, uncertainty written on her face and in her voice.

"Damn fine question," answered Agave, having by now recognized beyond a doubt her sister. "We are, it would seem, in Asgard. As in, Thor and Avengers. Of course, I'm not convinced that I'm not dead, dreaming, or crazy."

"Well, I've never been convinced you weren't crazy, and if anyone is dreaming here it's me, so I guess that leaves dead, maybe? Is that what those flashes of light were?"

"You saw something, too?"

"Yeah. Right before I blacked out, I saw these flashes that looked like lightning. Do you think we both got hit or something?" Colleen turned away from the gates and looked up at the sky. Agave turned and did the same.

After a moment, she said, "Maybe, but I don't think lightning is generally rainbow-colored."

Colleen took a deep breath, exhaled, and said, "It's even more beautiful in person."

"I know, right? I think I cried, at first. Maybe I am crazy. I wake up talking to Heimdall on the Bifrost and all I can do is stare at the stars and cry." Both giggled, each a little misty-eyed.

Colleen opened her mouth to speak, but just as she did so the gates creaked loudly and began to open. Colleen and Agave both spun around in surprise. They staggered back a few steps as the doors slowly opened, revealing several men in matching uniforms of golden armor. One of them stepped forward and pronounced with an air of authority, "Greetings. Heimdall told us of your coming. You are expected in the throne room. Please follow me."

Agave and Colleen shared a look, shrugged, and stepped forward to follow.

* * *

The young women were led into an enormous hall in the tallest building in the city. It quickly became apparent that this was the throne room. Apart from the decadent gold gilding throughout the room and the several dozen exquisitely dressed men and women scattered to the left and right wings, the tiered dais topped with a gilded seat was a dead giveaway.

As they entered the hall echoed with hushed whisperings, but as they were ushered across the vast space silence rapidly descended as the courtiers turned to gawk at the newcomers in strange garb.

Agave stared at the feet of the guard walking ahead of her, too self-conscious to look into the questioning stares of the faces surrounding them as they were led toward the dais.

The guards leading them stopped suddenly and knelt, fists over their hearts. Finally, Agave felt she could no longer avoid this inevitably uncomfortable confrontation and lifted her gaze up the steps of the dais toward the throne and the imposing figure seated there. Although she was already fairly certain of what she'd see, seeing Odin in person was still quite a jolting experience. Glittering golden armor, tall winged helm, and of course the single eye, gleaming with sharp intelligence yet gentled by the soft lines of his face.

In the few moments he spent silently apprising them she glanced around at the people lining the edges of the dais. Her heart leapt in her chest as she recognized several faces there: Thor, Sif, Loki, the Warriors Three, Frigga. Maybe this wasn't a bad thing, after all.

She snapped her attention back to Odin just before he began to speak. "I am Odin, king of Asgard. My queen, Frigga, and my sons, Thor and Loki. Your names, please."

The young women glanced at one another before answering. "Agave."

"Colleen."

"We're sisters."

"Colleen, Agave, I welcome you. I understand that you know as little as my gatekeeper about how you've come to be here. That is unfortunate, but you are our guests for as long as you wish. These men will show you to your quarters. Sup, take rest, and tomorrow my sons will show you the city."

"Thank you," they murmured, bowing, before they followed the guards back through the chamber and through a network of hallways to the guest chambers.

* * *

"Father, are you certain they're trustworthy? We know nothing about them, where they're from or what they're capable of."

"Come now, Loki! What reason have we to doubt them?"

"My sons, Heimdall finds them worthy guests. It is a powerful creature indeed that can deceive him. They did not strike me as such beings."

"There. Are you satisfied, brother?"

"We shall see."

* * *

_Author's note: This is my first attempt in years at writing fanfiction, so I'm looking for any pointers and critiques on my writing quality. I'm also open to any suggestions on the direction of the story!_


End file.
